Kamal Haasan – The Legend of Indian Cinema
Kamal Haasan is an acclaimed Indian actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, playback singer, dancer, and politician, celebrated for his extraordinary versatility and contributions to Indian cinema across six decades. Known for pushing creative boundaries and experimenting with bold themes, Kamal is often referred to as “Ulaganayagan” (Universal Hero).
📌 Quick Facts
- Full Name: Parthasarathy Srinivasan
- Stage Name: Kamal Haasan
- Born: November 7, 1954 – Paramakudi, Tamil Nadu, India
- Languages Worked In: Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali
- Profession: Actor, Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Politician
- Political Party: Makkal Needhi Maiam (founded in 2018)
🎬 Career Journey
Kamal Haasan started as a child actor in the Tamil film Kalathur Kannamma (1959), winning the President’s Gold Medal. Over the years, he has grown into one of India’s most respected and influential cinematic figures.
🧠 Known For:
- Taking up complex, challenging roles
- Mastering diverse genres: romance, action, comedy, horror, thriller, and art films
- Writing and directing socially and politically conscious cinema
🌟 Iconic Films
- Moondram Pirai (1982): National Award-winning performance as a man caring for a woman with amnesia
- Nayakan (1987): A gangster epic directed by Mani Ratnam, ranked among TIME Magazine’s 100 greatest films
- Indian (1996): Played dual roles as a freedom fighter and his corrupt son
- Hey Ram (2000): A bold, controversial film on Partition and Gandhi’s assassination
- Virumaandi (2004): A Rashomon-style narrative about truth and justice
- Dasavathaaram (2008): Played 10 different roles — a record in Indian cinema
- Vishwaroopam (2013): A big-budget espionage thriller he also directed
- Vikram (2022): A massive comeback blockbuster, connecting with the Lokesh Cinematic Universe
- Indian 2 (upcoming): Sequel to his 1996 classic
- Thug Life (upcoming): Collaborating again with Mani Ratnam after 35 years
🏆 Awards & Honors
- 3 National Film Awards for Best Actor
- 19 Filmfare Awards
- Padma Shri (1990) and Padma Bhushan (2014) by the Government of India
- Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government (2016)
- Multiple lifetime achievement awards from international film festivals
🎭 Master of Transformation
Kamal is known for physically transforming for his roles. From prosthetic makeup to voice modulation and language training, he approaches acting with method-acting intensity. He is also a trained classical dancer and has written many of his screenplays.
🗳️ Political Career
In 2018, Kamal launched Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), a centrist political party focused on anti-corruption, governance reform, and development. Though he hasn’t yet won an election, he remains a strong political voice in Tamil Nadu.
🎶 Other Talents
- Kamal has written lyrics, sung over 30 songs, and directed award-winning films.
- He’s known for introducing new technology in Indian cinema, including digital sound (Hey Ram) and advanced prosthetics (Indian, Dasavathaaram).